


Worlds Collide

by nerdlife4eva



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Angst with a Happy Ending, Childhood Memories, Cinderella Elements, Forgotten Memories, Galra Keith (Voltron), Galra Shiro (Voltron), Humor, M/M, Meet and Remeet, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-25 04:48:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21930202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdlife4eva/pseuds/nerdlife4eva
Summary: On the eve of the greatest war to ever divide the Galra nation, two young boys from different clans have a chance meeting on a neutral planet.Years later, when their part of the universe has been torn apart by greed and never-ending battles, it will be up to them to bring their clans together in an alliance guaranteed by their marriage.Will they make it to the alter to commit to each other for the sake of peace and harmony? Or will the hidden reason for the deadliest war of their time reveal itself and destroy them all?AKA - the romantic comedy Galra Sheith Arranged Marriage AU that nobody asked for, but I'm giving you anyway.
Relationships: Allura & Keith (Voltron), Hunk & Shiro (Voltron), Keith & Romelle (Voltron), Keith & The Blade of Marmora, Keith/Shiro (Voltron), Lance & Shiro (Voltron), Thace/Ulaz (Voltron)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20
Collections: Sheith Reverse Big Bang 2019





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story is part of the [Sheith Reverse Big Bang](https://sheithreversebb.tumblr.com) and was inspired by the insanely talented [kitsune1818](https://kitsune1818.tumblr.com) whose GORGEOUS drawings of Galra Sheith were a huge inspiration from me! Luckily, we were able to share a joint vision about making our project a different type of Galra Sheith AU - and this story was born! Please go check out all of Kitsune1818's [artwork for this bang](https://kitsune1818.tumblr.com/post/189841712827/show-chapter-archive) on Tumblr! Thank you for being a wonderful partner and allowing me to pinch-hit for you! 
> 
> If you like it and want to talk Voltron please come find me on Tumblr or Twitter!  
> [NeRdLife4Eva Twitter](https://twitter.com/NeRdLife4Eva)  
> [n3rdlif343va Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/n3rdlif343va)

Cool air clung to the open space of the darkened hallway, leaving a chill that was typical of the base station. A low hum thrummed through the smooth walls, the energy conveying a quiet strength where it vibrated against the flat of Keith’s back. On normal days, Keith found comfort in the muted whir of power and the coolness of the temperature controlled hallways.

Today, he was using the near silence to his advantage.

Tucking himself closer to the wall, Keith grinned as his ears twitched slightly on the sides of his head. Familiar footsteps were making their way over the grated floor, a typical lightness accompanied by the hint of a well-earned limp. Crouching into position, Keith’s tail flicked with anticipation as he braced himself for attack.

Growing up as the smallest member of the Marmora clan should have been considered a hindrance and yet Keith had only ever found his size to be an advantage. While his family of huge furry uncles constantly doted on their tiny kit nephew, he learned to use his innocent appearance to garnish more advantages than his mother appreciated. In his toddler years, his benefits were most importantly snacks and late bedtimes. In his early childhood though, his big eyes and tiny stature had helped him manipulate his way into his very own blade before he was eight.

Despite his mother’s constant sighing over the family’s need to spoil their tiniest kit, she never prevented it from continuing. Instead she encouraged Keith to learn to use his size in other ways, teaching him to fight enemies twice his build and overcome all obstacles with the speed and agility that came naturally to him.

A speed and agility that was about to be used on one very unsuspecting uncle.

Bracing one hand on the floor, Keith counted his uncle’s footsteps tracking each step based on the rhythm of his limp. When he reached one, Keith curled onto the balls of his feet and pounced.

Thace caught him mid-air laughing when Keith hollered his protests as Thace easily swung Keith over his shoulders and draped him like a furry purple scarf. “What are you up to, kit?” Chuckling, Thace wound his arm over Keith’s calves to secure his hold and simultaneously tickled the bottom of Keith’s feet. His laughter became bolder when Keith squealed.

“Stop! Stop!” Keith wheezed, his legs kicking helplessly and his hand slapping uselessly at Thace’s giant bicep. “I yield!” Flopping lifelessly, Keith pressed all of his deadweight in an attempt to feign defeat, narrowing his eyes when Thace only shook his head.

Urging Keith’s legs down, Thace paused in the hallway to let Keith rearrange himself across his back. “I was looking for you,” Thace smiled, glancing over his shoulder as Keith wrapped his arms around his neck.

“Because… it’s my birthday?” Impishly raising his tail, Keith poked Thace in the cheek with the tip. “I’m twelve you know. Soon you have to stop calling me a kit.” His voice was smug with his declaration but he scoffed when Thace chuckled.

“You’ll always be a kit to me, little one.” Frowning when Keith nipped at his ear, Thace warningly squeezed the small knees trapped under his big hands. “Stop that, or I’m not taking you to your surprise.”

Clambering higher on Thace’s shoulders, Keith draped himself over his left one to look at his uncle upside down. “Surprise?! I want a surprise!”

“Then hold on tight.” Without warning, Thace took off at a run, both of them laughing as they stormed their way down the hall careless of the noise they were leaving in their wake.

* * *

His mother had taught him from the moment he started walking how to stand perfectly still. It was a sign of respect when being introduced to other clans and a way to distinguish himself as a mature member of his own family.

Unfortunately standing in what Keith knew to be Thace’s personal hanger with his eyes obediently closed, there was absolutely no way he could put any of his mother’s teachings into place.

Excitement zipped through his veins as he listened to Thace moving around, his fingers twitching behind his back and his tail swishing a swift rhythm across the floor. “Can I open my eyes?” he asked, his cheeks heating when he heard Thace’s amused chuckle. Sheepishly, his ears drooped knowing what his mother would say about his impatience.

Thace never corrected him about it though and once he had even overheard him telling Ulaz that they could use more impulsive thinking like his. Ulaz had agreed and had cemented his place along with Thace’s own at the top of Keith’s favorite uncles list.

“Alright, kit.” Strong hands landed on Keith’s shoulders and pushed him forward ever so slightly. “Open those eyes.”

Peeking first with one eye, Keith’s other one flew open as he gasped.

In front of him was a ship that looked like a smaller version of Thace’s flyer. It was a deep, sleek black with purple glowing through every seam. Triangle in basic shape, the ship was obviously made for speed but had a widen back that had Keith tilting his head. His eyes flicked everywhere at once, trying to take in all of the details while shaking with the needed restraint to keep himself from rushing forward.

“Keith,” Thace smiled down at him and lifted his hand. “Happy Birthday. It’s yours.” His smile grew even softer when Keith’s jaw continued to gape open. “What are you waiting for? Go look!”

Taking off like a shot, Keith ran down the remainder of the hanger’s ramp as fast as his legs could carry him. Skidding to a halt, he scanned the back of the ship and triggered the door release. A whoosh accompanied the opening panel and Keith felt his heartrate kick up in the center of his chest. Looking back, Keith grinned when Thace stepped up behind him. “Can I…?” he didn’t know what he wanted to do first so he left the question open to Thace’s interpretation.

Slipping an arm around Keith’s slight shoulders, Thace urged him abroad the ship. Inside was as stunning as the exterior with clean lines running over every wall. Keith reverently ran his fingertips over the smooth metal, his smile causing his cheeks to ache as it continued to grow bigger.

Thace cleared his throat spurring Keith to spin around to face his uncle. With an eyebrow raised he looked at Thace’s twitching smile and followed Thace’s eyes to a secured cover in the middle of the ship’s back platform. “More?!” Keith exclaimed, his eyes widening to comical spheres as Thace dramatically yanked the cover free.

Confusion settled over Keith’s face as he tried to decipher what he was seeing. Taking a few steps forward, Keith bent toward what appeared to be another vehicle stored within his brand new ship. Furrowing his brows, Keith tilted his head in Thace’s direction with a questioning purr.

“It’s a hoverbike.”

Whipping in a circle, Keith’s grin returned as Ulaz stepped through the door and took his place at Thace’s side. Although they rarely publically displayed their affection for each other, Keith didn’t miss the way their tails tangled together behind their backs. “I can’t believe you showed him without me!” Nudging Thace’s shoulder, Ulaz shook his head when Thace shrugged.

“You can explain the bike?” The offer was made with a crooked smile that Thace only ever showed in the presence of his partner. Taking a step back, he waved a hand toward the bike and nodded his head for Ulaz to continue.

Bouncing on his toes, Keith finally gave up his false pretense of patience and climbed onto the seat of the hoverbike. “What does it do?” he asked, wiggling on the padded seat and leaning forward to wrap his hands around what he assumed were handles.

“It’s easier to show you than to explain it.” Curling an arm around Keith’s waist, Ulaz easily lifted him from his seat and placed him back on his feet. “How about we go for a ride? Thace will be your co-pilot, I’ll follow you in our ship.” Winking at Thace, Ulaz stepped back and disappeared down the ramp toward the hanger.

“Ready to fly, kit?” Crossing the platform, Thace hit the button to close the ship’s entry ramp and tapped another to reveal the cockpit.

With a wordless shout of excitement Keith threw himself toward the pilot’s seat, ready to set off in his very own ship.

* * *

Unlike his mother who would have spent hours explaining to Keith every detail of the magnificent ship and the tiniest mechanisms of his new hoverbike, Ulaz and Thace gave a very perfunctory lesson as to the operation of both. Tucked on the outskirts of their base planet, Keith kicked the hoverbike around another rock formation and laughed over its low hum as red dust flicked up toward his uncles. Their smiles were rivaled only by the brightness of Keith’s own grin.

Carefully, Keith guided the hoverbike through the open ship door, mind swirling with ideas of how he could convince his uncles to fly further. A new ship was amazing but a new ship plus the freedom to fly through the stars alone? That was Keith’s idea of an absolutely perfect birthday present.

Securing the hoverbike in its loading locks as Thace had taught him to do, Keith dismounted to discover both of his uncles peering knowingly at him from their shared place at the door. “So….” Keith started, rocking back on his heels and attempting to appear innocent as he shoved his thumbs in the sash at his waist.

“Want us to leave you alone now so you can get up to no good?” Thace smirked when Ulaz nudged his side with a gentle elbow. “How about this…” Waving away Ulaz’s concerned hum, Thace tapped the communicator on his wrist. “Your birthday celebration doesn’t begin until this evening. We’ll cover for you. But you have to be back, fur brushed and ceremonial outfit on before your mother comes to retrieve you.”

“YES!” Jumping forward, Keith threw himself into the waiting arms of his uncles, laughing with them as they all nearly toppled to the ground. “I promise! I’ll be back.” Releasing his hold, he shoved his uncles away from the door, yelling a quick “bye now! Thank you for everything!” as he slammed the back door and launched himself toward his pilot’s chair.

Plugging in coordinates for a small planet Keith had only ever seen on projected star charts, he shot off from the ground and flew upward without ever looking back.

* * *

Without Thace to guide him, landing his craft was far easier than it had been the first time. Flying was instinctual for Keith, but everyone always wanted to concentrate on the technicalities. Find a flat surface, land the ship, such a simple concept made difficult by grownups who just wanted to hear themselves say the word _steady_ on repeat.

Gazing through the window in front of him, Keith couldn’t help the exhilarated shout that escaped him. Never in his life had he been off planet without someone tailing his every move. For the first time in his life, Keith was completely alone and he had never felt so free.

Scrambling out of his chair, Keith gave only a passing glance to the atmosphere scan which told him the air was perfectly acceptable to inhale without the use of his mask. Further excited by a hint of even greater freedom, Keith hastily slapped the back hatch release and unclipped his hoverbike once again. If zipping around rock formations and kicking up dust had been fun, then dodging through the dense trees and towering glowing flowers was going to be the best moment of Keith’s life.

Carefully, Keith guided himself down the ramp and punched in his code to secure the ship’s safety. Twisting the hoverbike in a quick circle, he kicked one leg over it and settled himself back on the seat. The screen in front of him blinked to life to provide a map of the thick forest surrounding him. Smile splitting his face from ear to ear, Keith gripped his handle bars and took off.

Every part of this small planet was distinctly different than the red rock and constant ash of his home. While rocks, ravines, and mountains created the main landscape of the world where Keith grew up, this planet was gorgeously green and brightly decorated with dominantly sized plants. The smell alone was intoxicating, making Keith feel even further from home than he really was.

Keith raced through the curved trees, cutting sharp corners and leaping exposed roots. He turned and twisted through the forest as he followed the blinking arrow that would lead him to his destination.

The sound of rushing water reached his ears as Keith broke the plain of the forest’s edge, eyes widening at the swirls of orange and purple pouring into the lake. Water flowed with energy as it streamed down colorful rocks and jumped with life as sea creatures danced through the foam. Entranced with the sight, Keith slowed his hoverbike to a stop and stared.

A crack of a branch to his left had Keith’s shoulders stiffening and his ears flattening to his head. His mother would kill him for forgetting to scan the landscape for other living creatures and his heart flew into his throat as his imagination began to spin wild thoughts about what could be stalking him. Delicately, Keith slid from his bike and crouched while trying to listen for any other approaching sounds.

“HI!”

Screaming at the top of his lungs Keith rolled forward and spun around to raise his hands in a defensive stance. Heart beating a bruising rhythm in his chest he opened his mouth to speak and found he couldn’t with the discovery of what was in front of him.

Or should he say _who_ was in front of him.

“What is this?” The other boy asked as his big hand patted the seat of Keith’s bike. Like Keith, he was obviously Galra, but his hair was cropped short and his fur wasn’t nearly as fluffy. “Is it like a ship? Does it float? How fast is it? What’s it made of?”

Cautiously, Keith lowered his hands and stood from his crouch. No one this excitable could be harmful and Keith could feel the tension releasing from his shoulders, even as he realized the near foot of height that separated them. “Um… it’s a hoverbike.” Shrugging his shoulders when the other whispered a reverent “wow,” Keith couldn’t help but let his eyes linger on the brilliant enthusiasm shining from the other’s stunningly purple eyes.

“Hey, you’re small.”

Narrowing his own eyes, Keith lifted his glare to the curious face of his intruder. “No, you’re just… over-sized…”

With his words Keith finally took in the actual mass of the Galra in front of him. Where Keith was scrappy and long in his limbs, the other boy was gangly but at least a head taller than him. There was a hidden strength to him despite his obvious lingering adolescent traits and Keith felt a weird twitch in the bottom of his stomach.

“I could still take you.” The words escaped through his stupid lips before Keith could stop them.

“Nah uh,” came the very intelligent response paired with a shove to Keith’s shoulder.

Instinct took over as Keith struck back, rapping the stranger on the side of the head with his tail. “No fair!” the boy pouted, twisting his own lower body to reveal an unusually small tail. Before Keith could ponder what he was seeing, a blow caught him on the side. “You wanna spar?” The question was more of a singsong taunt and Keith immediately took the bait.

Crouching again, Keith felt his smirk fight him on his need to look tough. “Don’t underestimate me.” He was used to it given his size, but he knew to use it as an advantage. His smirk grew larger when he was met with a bright smile and a wink before the stranger lunged at him.

Time passed in a whirl as they circled each other, trading the stinging insults that only children could construct while inflicting blows not really meant to hurt. When Keith’s foot unexpectedly caught on an enlarged flower root and knocked him from his feet, his breath rushed from his chest as his back collided with the unforgiving ground. Blinking up at the canopy of treetops, his confusion was replaced with frustration when a laughing face appeared above him.

Cautiously taking the hand offered to him, Keith grumbled “don’t make fun of me,” under his breath as he was pulled up. A livewire of heat shocked its way up Keith’s arm and he almost missed the boy’s explanation.

“I’m not! I’m having _fun_ with you. I’m Shiro by the way.” Resting a hand on Keith’s shoulder, Shiro continued to grin unabashedly at Keith’s distrust. “Look, my clan doesn’t have a lot of my generation. My parents started young with having kits and so now everyone is finally having them and all the babies treat me like I’m a tree or something. It’s nice to have someone my age around.”

Confusion brought Keith’s eyebrows together as his arms crossed over his chest. “Look at us. You think we’re the same age?” Idly waving a hand between their vastly different sizes, Keith waited while the thought sunk into Shiro’s mind.

“Guess I didn’t think about the height thing. I’m 16, you?” Removing his hand from Keith’s shoulder, Shiro moved on to fiddling with the sash that had fallen out of place during their sparring.

Hesitation had Keith holding his tongue but the eager way Shiro glanced at him made his jaw relax. “12. Today actually.” Looking over Shiro’s shoulder, Keith nodded toward his hoverbike. “That’s part of my birthday present.”

Excitement was once again apparent on Shiro’s face as he seemed to only remember the object that had drawn him toward the clearing in the first place. Spinning on his heel, Shiro sprang back toward the bike before flicking another smile in Keith’s direction. “Can I… ride it?”

The skin of Keith’s cheeks burned in a way he didn’t want to understand. Stumbling slightly over his own feet, Keith made his way to the bike and flung himself onto the seat. “Not alone, but I’ll take you for a ride.” The heat grew sharper and spread to the tips of his ears making Keith wonder exactly what his body was up to. When Shiro happily accepted, tucking himself behind Keith’s back with arms circling Keith’s waist, Keith felt his need to swallow overcome by his lack of ability to do so.

Telling himself to get a grip, Keith punched the accelerator on the bike and flew them into the trees.

* * *

If sparring with Shiro had warped Keith’s sense of time, flying with him had completely demolished the sense altogether. The blaring of his communicator from his wrist, however, was a sharp and rude reminder that reality was the place he needed to be. Immediately.

Silencing the incoming contact from his mother, Keith made a quick move to return his bike and his passenger to the side of his ship. Hastily and without explanation, Keith nudged Shiro off the back of the hoverbike and jammed it into the loading locks in his ship.

“Hey, could we….” At his place by the open ramp, Shiro looked smaller and less confident than he had when he appeared at Keith’s side earlier in the day. The shyness made Keith stop moving in a frenzy and stare at his new friend. “Maybe… we could meet here again. Like come back this same time and ride again.”

Stunned, Keith froze. Another screech of his communicator rang through the silence making Keith jump. “Um, sure yeah… tomorrow? Or the next day?” His voice sounded too high even in his own head and Keith found himself wincing at his awkwardness. “Whatever works for you.”

“Tomorrow!” Shiro shouted, dropping his head as the purple of his cheeks darkened. “Tomorrow would work for me.”

“Great. Ok. See you then.” Cringing in fear at the sound of his communicator once again screaming from his wrist, Keith slammed his palm against the control panel on the wall. “See you tomorrow, Shiro!” he called as he headed for the pilot’s seat.

“See you tomorrow…” Shiro waved, only realizing as the ship took off toward the stars that he had never asked the boy’s name.


	2. Six Years Later

The room around Shiro felt weirdly alive. The walls held a powerful vibration that wasn’t loud yet wasn’t quite silent either. The hum which Shiro couldn’t place a source for felt like it was weaving itself through his veins, both invigorating and relaxing him in a continuously steady pulse. The feeling wasn’t alarming but it wasn’t altogether settling either, leaving him feeling out of balance and shaky-footed while standing in enemy territory.

Natural light poured through the windows which extended from the floor to the ceiling of the exterior wall, making the space feel larger and more open than any room inside of a high tech clan center should feel. The warmth of the planet’s multiple suns drew Shiro toward the calmness of the view in front of him, his eyes tracking over mountains and craters created by formations of deep red rock.

The planet was gorgeous and well-cared for from what Shiro could see, although he had so many questions about what life was like on a planet without any noticeable vegetation. Questions that would have been easily answered if he had only chosen to listen to his friends and advisors as they sat behind him yammering on about the details of Shiro’s new life.

Turning over his shoulder, Shiro let out a calming breath as he tried to tune back into their conversation. Hunk had piles of data pads and old texts littered across a floating table while Lance was kicked back with his feet up plucking through the gigantic basket that had been thrust into Shiro’s arms upon arrival. Although he hadn’t exactly expected a fanfare, he also hadn’t expected only two Mamoras to greet him before shuffling him off and leaving him in what would be his room for the next five days.

Or the remaining days of his freedom as Lance so helpfully liked to remind him.

He had overheard his friends talking before their journey, speculating as to why Shiro had agreed to this arrangement. Neither of them was buying the loyalty to his clan story nor were they accepting that Shiro was the only possible fit for this arrangement. Their two clans had certainly found peace between them without such a drastic step and their friendship had been born from that found alliance. “Why can’t it be the same way with the stupid Mamoras?” he had heard Lance ask Hunk, who had merely scoffed and said that Lance had no idea what he was talking about.

And Lance didn’t know, which was at least normal for Lance. The bloody and damaged history between Shiro’s Empire and the powerful Mamora clan was legendary in their part of the universe, but Hunk and Lance hadn’t originated from their immediate area. They were from a clan that had been nearly destroyed in an attack that Shiro was almost positive had been of Mamora doing. Not that he would tell them that, even though he was sure they had heard someone speculate the same. Especially given Lance’s apparent and overt hatred of every moment since they had set foot on the Mamora’s home planet.

But Shiro’s grandfather was the patriarch of their clan and with every day he grew older and wearier of the trials and tribulations of war. If doing this would bring his grandfather peace in whatever time he had left, Shiro would take any of the consequences of his decisions and bare them with silent determination.

Hunk’s face appearing before his made Shiro jump. Chuckling, Hunk shook his head and straightened Shiro’s formal attire. “Where’s your head at, big guy?” Hunk’s use of the fond nickname made Shiro smile. Even among his people, Shiro was a large specimen and neither Hunk nor Lance ever missed a chance to make him blush over it.

Patiently Shiro let Hunk fuss over him as his sashes and collar were pulled into place. His smile twitched as Hunk moved on to fruitlessly attempt to calm Shiro’s hair and his chuckle slipped out when Hunk’s good natured scoff was replaced with a frustrated pout.

“See, now _that_ you can’t do!” Hunk frowned while slapping his hand over Shiro’s mouth. “Remember what your grandfather’s adviser said? The Mamora are very formal, not big fans of humor. They are very straight forward and will not take kindly to your jokes.”

“No one takes kindly to Shiro’s jokes. If you can even call them that.” From his place on the couch Lance bit into a red fruit and frowned. “And I don’t take kindly to whatever this sour monstrosity is.” Tossing it back into the basket, Lance didn’t look up to see Shiro’s eyes glaring in his direction.

His chance to argue that his sense of humor was in fact highly appreciated by everyone who knew him was stolen by the swift opening of the doors leading to the hallway. All three of them froze as two women of distinctly not-Galra making strode into the room with an air of belonging.

Lance was the first to recover, tripping over his own feet as he untangled himself from his seat and dumped himself forward into delicate arms that easily caught him and leveled him onto his own two feet. His awed _wow_ broke Shiro next and he winced as Hunk’s fingers curled against the line of his jaw to prevent Shiro from laughing out loud.

“Who are you?” Lance asked, his voice hushed with intimidation and unquestionably attraction to the beautiful woman still holding his shoulders. Shiro snickered against Hunk’s palm earning himself another squeeze.

“I’m Romelle!” Next to Lance’s savior, the younger woman bounced on her toes, sending her pigtails swinging behind her back. “This is my sister, Allura.” With a nod of her head, Romelle looked around the room as if it was perfectly natural to invade the space of invited clan members.

“Holy quiznak.” Dropping his hands from Shiro’s mouth, Hunk shot him a look of disapproval before wiping Shiro’s spit on the front of his own tunic. “You’re the Altean princesses.”

Lance’s wheezed “ _Princesses_ ” was the loudest sound in the room and Shiro had to bite his own cheek to the point of pain to keep from laughing. Hunk hadn’t advised him on the Altean views of formalities and although Romelle’s demeanor was less than formal, they were the Mamora’s strongest allies and he could not take a chance on accidentally offending them.

“Well, yes, that is our official title.” Slightly shoving Lance away from her, Allura took a step back and unnecessarily straightened the front of her unrumpled dress. “Although until the wedding, we are here merely providing moral support for our closest friend.”

Shiro opened his mouth to introduce himself taking a step forward and running straight into Lance’s back. “Who’s your oldest friend?” Lance’s question sounded rude and abrupt even to Shiro’s forgiving ears and he once again tried to speak when his words died on his tongue at the arrival of the room’s newest occupant.

“Me.” The answering voice was gravely and controlled, slipping out in simple answer that made Shiro’s spine tingle. If a single word from this man’s lips could sound like that, Shiro wasn’t sure he would survive anymore of his sentences.

Lance on the other hand, seemed completely unaffected. “Oh and you are?” Crossing his arms over his chest in what was clearly supposed to be an attempt to look intimidating, Lance raised one eyebrow and tapped his foot in mock impatience.

The gorgeous man remained silent, eyebrows cocked in judgment as he surveyed the room. Shiro couldn’t peel his eyes away from the intricately braided purple hair falling over one shoulder and the way the redness of the suns painted a blush over the man’s purple cheeks. His stature was similar to that of the Alteans’ height and build, leaving him a full head shorter than Shiro and far slighter in the waist. An uncontrollable urge to reach out and touch overtook Shiro’s senses and it wasn’t until Hunk’s hand slapped down on his wrist that Shiro realized he had begun to follow through with the action.

“This is Keith Kogane. Heir to the Mamora clan. And groom-to-be.” Romelle’s smile hinted at a mischievous delight in dropping her bomb of information into the silent room.

“Holy quiznak.” Shiro and Lance spoke in unison with two very different sentiments shaping their words. Functioning in a haze weaved with undeniable attraction and unrelenting nerves, Shiro took a less than elegant step forward and offered his hand in formal greeting.

Clearing his throat, Shiro tried to pull himself together as stunning violet eyes landed on his own. This was his future partner. The partner he agreed to marry to seal an alliance and end the war between their clans.

And he was gorgeous in a rip-your-heart-out murderously beautiful kind of way.

“I’m Sh-” Cut off by a slap to his back, Shiro shook his head. “Sorry,” clearing his throat again, Shiro bowed his head and held his arm parallel to the floor with his palm open. “Takashi Shirogane, heir of the Empire clan and… your… fiancé… I guess…” Uncertainty clung to his last few words, interrupting the strong impression he wanted to make in front of his future husband. Behind his back, his fist curled into an anxious ball until Keith’s open palm found a place against Shiro’s offered one.

A tremor of sensation rippled under the surface of Shiro’s skin and he bit his already abused inner cheek to keep from shaking along with it. Praying that he looked steadier than he felt, Shiro lifted his gaze to find Keith searching his face. Aware that silent observation was a skill of the Mamoras, Shiro tried not to fidget under the intense scrutiny of Keith’s curious eyes.

“Do you…” Keith paused to consider his words and looked down. Pulling his hand back as if he had only noticed that they were still touching, Keith’s eyes dropped momentarily to his own palm before glancing back up. “How shall I call you?”

“Come again?” Lance leaned around Shiro’s shoulder to look between Shiro’s smitten blush and Keith’s stoically clenched jaw. “You don’t have communicators on your planet?” A well-placed pinch to Lance’s upper arm had him spinning his attention toward Hunk and away from the still-staring engaged strangers.

“Normally, the Empire clan uses rank and family name, however, given your future status and relationship, it would be appropriate for you to use Takashi.” Hunk concluded his mini lesson and Shiro managed to keep himself composed during Hunk’s completely unnatural formal explanation.

“Takashi then.” Nodding Keith offered his own bow. “I shall let you settle in. We have a meeting this afternoon and your welcome dinner this evening. If you need anything, do not hesitate to make requests of anyone you see. I shall see you later then.” Moving briskly, Keith departed the room as quickly as he had come, not looking back for even a moment.

Giggling to themselves, Romelle and Allura followed him out with waves over their shoulders.

As soon as the door closed they all collapsed onto separate pieces of black fabric-covered furniture and heaved a collective sigh. “That could have gone worse,” Hunk mumbled from beneath the arm draped over his face.

“Yeah, Lance only has a little bit of fruit juice stained on his face. And hey, he didn’t hit on anyone!” Shiro laughed when a stray nut hit him in the chin. “I think Keith might be plotting your murder though.”

“Typical Mamora,” Lance muttered, eyes faced in the direction of the ceiling.

Sitting up, Shiro kicked out at Lance’s knee and barely held in his smirk when Lance yelped. “None of that. We're here to secure a better future for our part of this universe. We’re celebrating the ending of nearly six years of war. We’re not here to assume anything. Let’s throw all of that away and get to know the Mamora clan for who they are. Okay?”

Hunk ruffled Shiro’s hair as he stood up, taking advantage of finally being able to comfortably reach it as Shiro remained seated. “Good pep talk. Now let’s go over meeting strategies and formal dinner expectations so none of us insult our hosts.” With a pointed look in Lance’s direction, Hunk bent over his research and began to organize his neat stacks.

From his place on the couch, Shiro turned to look out at the vast spread of the red rock and wondered if maybe marrying a complete stranger wouldn’t be so bad after all.

* * *

“Allura, shall I open the door for you?” Romelle giggled through her words as she held the door open and shot a look in Keith’s direction.

Prancing through the door, Allura gave Keith her own teasing glance. “Why thank you, Romelle. Shall I offer you a drink?” Bowing over the bar Allura dramatically lowered her forehead almost to the floor.

Keith kicked the door shut with his heel and leaned back against the cool metal with a scowl. “Are you done?” He knew that he sounded like an idiot, they didn’t need to make it worse. “Your friend… told you I had to be formal. And proper. Mom’s advisor said the same thing. That’s what I was being.” Grunting in response to the instant reaction laughter of his so-called best friends, Keith bore holes into the carpet with a death glare that he usually reserved for the back of Kolivan’s head during training.

Everyone had said the Empire clan was the most regal and well-established clan in the universe. The history of the Galra started with them and all of the other clans had history that traced back to them, no matter how much Keith hated that fact. They were a clan which put too much value on ruthless invasion and unneeded violence, two values that were staunchly contrasting to the Mamora who believed in unifying for the greater good. This divide in beliefs had brought about their peaceful alliance with the Alteans less than a year into the unexpected war and had kept the Empire and the Mamora fighting continuously on opposite sides.

At least it had until Keith had stepped forward and offered himself on behalf of possible peace.

The debate had been lengthy. As their allies, the Alteans could have also offered a suitor and presented a choice to the only option the Empire had been willing to give. Keith didn’t want that for Romelle or Allura though. They had all made enough sacrifices for their families and Keith was willing to bear the burden of this one if it meant they were free to choose their future mates outside the confines of political obligation. Keith’s heart had been given away at the age of twelve anyway so he had no concerns about it accidentally getting attached to the other half of his politically orchestrated matrimony.

Hearing his name shouted, Keith snapped out of his thoughts and stared blankly at his openly irritated friends.

“We saw the spark.” Allura’s way of speaking always cut straight through whatever false pretense Keith would have attempted to use to deflect her. “Did you feel it?”

Shoving away from the door, Keith dragged his feet over the ground, coming to rest with his head banging down onto the unforgiving platform of the bar. “Couldn’t really ignore it.” Hands shook his shoulders as Keith unwillingly rolled his head so he could huff at Romelle’s exuberant face.

“Then that’s it, right? He has to be the one! The one from the forest. The one you looooveeeee.” Letting go of Keith, Romelle turned her back on him and wrapped her arms around herself while making obnoxiously loud kissing noises.

“He can’t be.” Defeat and hurt settled into the pit of his stomach, coating over the butterflies of hope and robbing them of their ability to flutter. “He’s too… He’s not… It just can’t be.” The sting of useless excitement felt painful as it twisted in his chest. It had been foolish to think that fate and the universe would bring him such luck, that the boy who he had dreamed of every night for the last six years would somehow have been the man he was now marrying.

His ears drooped in the way that always made the girls coo at him and he held up his hand to stop them as soon as the noise started. He had been foolish to get his hopes up that _Shiro_ just might be Takashi Shirogane. His Shiro wasn’t formal in their first meeting and they had immediately fallen into rhythm with each other. None of that had happened today, despite the spark that Keith had felt.

“Maybe he isn’t _the_ guy…” softening her tone, Allura ran her fingertips into Keith’s hair, threading back stray strands. “But he seems like a _nice_ guy. Maybe you need to let go of the dream and embrace the reality. Maybe you’ll fall-”

Sitting up so quickly he startled Romelle into falling off her own chair, Keith slammed his hands over his ears. Humming loudly as Allura tried to shout at him, Keith ran for the door and let it hang open as he made the escape in the direction of his own room.

Keith could live with an arranged marriage for the good of his people and the universe at large. The decision protected Romelle and Allura from the same fate and would finally bring peace to so many deserving people.

What he couldn’t live with was the idea of falling in love with the man (no matter how incredible he looked and no matter how kind his eyes were) when his mystery boy could still be out there. His body and his alliance were available but his heart was a fixed point that he refused to compromise.

Slinking down the hall and out of sight, Keith told himself he wasn’t thinking about the way Takashi’s palm had felt against his own and the way his eyes reflected a sincerity that Keith never expected from Empire royalty.

* * *

The afternoon meeting had passed by without much disruption. Other than Shiro’s mild shock as to how large the leading members of the Mamora clan were, he felt as if he had held his own in the most dignified manner possible. He had remembered every greeting for the different ranks and had even presented Keith’s mother with Hunk’s approved first meet gift without so much as a slip of tongue. Even when Lance had nearly killed himself by falling off an extremely tall stool, Shiro had withheld his laughter and maintained his composure. All in all he was proud of his success and felt ready to tackle the next obstacle of dinner in the great hall.

Dressed in his second most formal outfit of the day, Shiro walked down the hallway flanked by Hunk and Lance. They were bantering back and forth about what the food would be like while Lance obsessed over Allura’s entire existence, but Shiro could barely follow their conversation. His mind was focused on one objective and one objective only. To get Keith to talk to him.

It had been the only flaw in their meeting as far as Shiro was concerned. Keith had presented his own ideas about how to maintain security for both the treaty signing and the wedding but he had made his suggestions to the group as a whole, never addressing Shiro directly. Just once Shiro wanted to feel the weight of Keith’s gaze fall on him and had left the meeting disappointed in the lack of attention. Hunk had teased him about being spoiled from all the swooning that happened on their home planet, yet the jokes fell flat when Shiro could only hum.

While he couldn’t put a finger on why, there was something about Keith that was beyond his impeccable face and flawless body. That something was calling directly to Shiro’s soul and he wouldn’t rest until he figured out why.

“Do you think they’re all huge?” Nervously, Hunk’s hand settled on the frame of the door to the hall, fingers tapping an uneven rhythm. “Like… maybe Keith is the exception and not the rule?” Worried eyes caught Shiro’s widening stare as Hunk’s word sunk in.

“They were all bigger than you,” Lance whispered, as if Shiro hadn’t figured that out when he walked into the meeting and had immediately been dwarfed by every Galra in the room. Including Keith’s mother. “Oh God, you’re… marrying their runt! Sh-Takashi they’re marrying you off to their runt!”

“Excuse me?”

The voice Shiro had longed to hear for the last hour came floating into his ears as a menacing growl. Turning around, Shiro came face-to-face with Keith who looked more deadly than all of the Mamora he had met combined. “Um… hi… I mean… Greetings Keith, I am very much looking forward to spending this evening meal with you. May I escort you inside?”

A nudge on his back from Romelle had Keith’s tensed shoulders relaxing minutely. He had promised that no matter what Takashi’s idiot friend said that he would not kill said friend. Allura had made him make a blood promise and everything. Secretly he thought her fascination with dumb men was a little too obvious, but he had kept that fact to himself to avoid any unfortunate bruises ahead of his wedding. Feeling a second elbow hitting his back, Keith squared his shoulders and nodded in acceptance of Takashi’s offer.

Stepping forward, Keith paused briefly in front of the idiot. “This morning, you were greeted by Ulaz and Thace. Thace is my mother’s _little_ brother. Why don’t you try calling him a runt?” Smug smirk in place, Keith left the other man to flounder as he signaled the door to open and led the group inside.

* * *

Falling backwards into his bed, Shiro barely registered how much bed was still available to him. His head felt fuzzy and his mind was overwhelmed trying to process every detail of his whirlwind night in the middle of the Mamora clan.

The Mamoras were more secretive and their history was harder to uncover due to the lack of official texts and data that was easily found for the other major clans. Everything Shiro knew about them came from firsthand conflict in battle, researching their fighting strategies after each altercation, and the oral accounts provided by his grandfather’s oldest advisor. Hunk had painstakingly constructed plans and courses of action for all of Shiro’s interactions based on a careful analysis of every scrap of information that could be pieced together to be made useful.

Except none of what they had rehearsed and practiced seemed to apply at all. 

Walking into the great hall for dinner, Shiro was greeted with the sight of the largest Galra beings he had ever set eyes on. His own people were not necessarily small, but they were certainly smaller than Shiro himself. Even standing next to his own grandfather Shiro had several inches on their clan’s patriarch, but standing in the room with Keith’s clan, Shiro had never felt tinier.

Keith’s mother, Krolia, held the spot at the head table, looking every bit the stern matriarch that her reputation said she would be. Next to her sat Kolivan, equally as stern and terrifying in his quietness. Shiro didn’t miss the comfort between the two though, his eyes catching the brief sweeps of hands and elbows as they moved unnecessarily into each other’s orbits throughout the meal.

The other Mamora members were not as reserved. For being a clan known for secrecy and strict discipline, they were loud and brash in their interpersonal relations, knocking about jokes and insults like batted ping pong balls over the large tables. Food and bubbly drink was served in abundance leaving the meal feeling more like a family dinner than a formal affair as Shiro had assumed it would be.

Perhaps, if he could’ve gotten Keith to talk to him, he could’ve blamed the unexpected relaxed nature for his own failure to be anything but a useless stick in the proverbial mud. Groaning, Shiro rolled onto his side and buried his head in his elbow. It wasn’t in his nature to let his own embarrassment go without overanalyzing and deconstructing every false move, but for once he wished that he could just shut the humiliation out of his mind. Doomed to relive it until he finally found peace in sleep, Shiro let his mind succumb to the rehashing of his own disasters.

Because if anyone had been a failure that night, it had been Shiro. While the great hall was filled with laughter and noise, Shiro sat stiff as a board in a chair at Keith’s side. Words painfully failed him and every time he tried to speak, he would get tripped up by the flash of hope in Keith’s eyes. His tongue had never felt so tied in his life and Shiro let himself groan again at his own stupidity.

Why he thought it was a wise decision to start his time on Mamora’s planet without his grandfather was beyond him. His grandfather’s advisor had given Shiro such specific instructions about Mamora traditions and how Shiro would be expected to behave and yet somehow none of it had applied. Among his own people, Shiro shone with humor and knew (without bragging about it) that he was adored. Tonight, he was nothing more than a personality-less lump of goo, turned brainless by the sight of a pretty man.

Flopping around onto his back again, Shiro sighed dramatically to relieve some of the miserable pressure building into his chest. Unlike him, Keith had been gorgeous and regal and everything Shiro had expected. There had even been that flicker of humorous playfulness when Keith had teased Lance at the hall door but that flicker had disappeared as quick as it had come when Shiro failed to capitalize on the moment. Caught inside his own head filled with rules and rituals, Shiro hadn’t even taken the chance to add into the joke or try to explain Lance’s unique nature. Shiro’s awkwardness had squashed that potential opening like a bug under his heel and the regret of that lost opportunity was the most painful sting of the night.

Flinging his arm over his face, Shiro groaned. Tomorrow. Tomorrow Shiro would do better. He would continue to follow all of the rules that had been given to him, but he would also pay attention to the man beside him instead of focusing so much on trying to be exactly right. Keith was going to be his husband, his partner in the very long life they would hopefully both have together and he had to find a way to connect with him.

Slipping into sleep, Shiro dreamed of fascinating purple eyes, a hint of a smugness in a handsome smirk, and a hoverbike he didn’t recognize.

**Author's Note:**

> Please consider checking out my other works!  
> [A Wild Bearded Shiro Appears](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17054420) \- Shiro participates in No Shave November. RIP Keith (college roommates AU)  
> [Unwritten](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15583593/chapters/36179688) a Sheith fic about Author Keith and Fanboy Shiro, filled with mutual pining and reuniting of childhood friends :) - complete  
> [A Week For Us](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17261003/chapters/40591424) \- married Sheith celebrate the five year anniversary of their engagement, with a little surprise in the form of a very tiny new family member  
> [Mine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16302947) \- a one-shot of married Sheith getting jealous at a party and solving it with sexy times  
> [Where We Belong](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15730515) \- fluffy post Season 7 Domestic Sheith escaping for a weekend away to Keith's old shack  
> [Our Space](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16574111) \- Domestic Sheith one-shot in which Shiro decorates their room  
> [It Only Took a Hurricane](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17227133) \- a completed Lifeguard AU (best friends to lovers)  
> [Disaster You, Disaster Me, Disaster We](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16513202/chapters/38678120) \- a Sheith blind date AU with a twist  
> [I Found You]() \- a WIP Sheith AU in which Keith is in a band and Shiro is a bartender.  
> [Come on Baby, Frost My Cake](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16829314) \- a Sheith set up fic at Hunk's Singles Cake Decorating class (shenanigans ensure)  
> [No Secrets Between Us](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13860900) \- silly crack fic about the team finding out that Sheith are dating


End file.
